Match Report - Crewe Alexandra vs Carlisle United

A second-half collapse from Crewe Alexandra gave a Carlisle United side that hadn`t won in 4 games a very comfortable victory at the Alexandra Stadium yesterday afternoon.

Crewe manager David Artell made one change to last Saturday`s defeat to league leaders Exeter City with Conor Grant replacing Zoumana Bakayago in the starting 11 with George Cooper moving to left wing-back as the Railwaymen changed to a 3-5-2 formation from a back 4.

The opening chance of the game came in the 6th minute with Carlisle wide-man Nicky Adams curling high and wide before Crewe`s first chance came a couple of minutes later with Ryan Wintle producing a low-ball across which neither Callum Ainley nor Chris Porter got on the end of. The opening goal of the game came in the 14th minute with Mike Jones playing the ball square for left-back Danny Grainger to fire past Ben Garratt into the bottom corner of the goal.

The visitors could have extended the lead 10 minutes before the break as former Crewe forward Shaun Miller glanced a header wide from Kelvin Etuhu`s right-wing cross whilst Crewe`s next chance came on the stroke of half-time as Cooper`s free-kick was headed goal-wards by Eddie Nolan but was saved by Shamal George.

After Harry Pickering replaced Brad Walker for Crewe at half-time, former Carlisle defender Michael Raynes made an error and brought down Reggie Lambe just inside the area 3 minutes into the second period with Grainger sending Garratt the wrong way from the spot. The third goal of the game came with 18 minutes left on the clock with Grainger`s corner put into his own net by Raynes, who sliced his clearance past Garratt.

Lambe added the forth of the game minutes later as substitute Jamie Devitt played him through with the Carlisle forward holding Raynes off and sliding the ball past Garratt before he hit the post 5 minutes before the final whistle from 25 yards. They did add a fifth in the final seconds of stoppage-time as Tom Lowery lost the ball with sub Hallam Hope played through and he beat Garratt at his near post.

Crewe travel to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night in our next league game.